Box construction



BOX CONSTRUCTION Nov. 1, 1932. J. F/MAURER, JR

Filed July 3l; 1950 Tlf T1 EnwlTNl-:ssEs

m a mm m. Mw o Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES teams oFF- ICE Joan r. manana. Ja., or Wooncrrrn-NEW JERSEY Box CONSTRUCTION v.fippiioa'mm sled my 31, 1930. serial No. 472,096.

' This invention -relates generally to the classes of boxesor crates and refers more particularly to milk bottle cases or the like.

-- In thisclass'of containers, the walls are usually constructed of one or more panels of wood which,due to dampness7 swell or expandandwarp or otherwise distort the structure.

The present invention 'aims for. one ofl its objectsto provide acrate structure in which provision` is ,made'to 'overcome warping or hollow memberl having angularlv disposed wings in which the ends of the adjacent box walls are embracingly received together with interengagingmeans on the wings and embraced ends of said walls for securing the walls within the device.

` With the above recited and other obiects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in

which there bodiment of is exhibited one example or emthe invention while the claims deiine the actual scopeof the same.

In the drawing: ,v

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view y illustrating one corner of a box or crate constructed in a ccordance with the invention as viewed yfrom the exterior.

the interior;l

Figure 2 is a similar view as viewed from Figure 3 4is a sectional plan view taken approximately Eigure l.V Figure 4 i on the line indicatedat 3f?) in s a similar view taken approximately on the line indicated lat -li-LlinvFig- `ure 1.

Referring to Athe drawing by characters of reference, A and B designaterespectively two ofthe walls of a crate or box whichy are in the nature of wooden panels and@ designates generally the corner device for connecting and bracing the box or crate structure. The device C lis. of hollow construction and includes v angularly disposed hollow wings designated generally by the reference characters D and E in which the ends F and G of the adjacent panels A and B are embracinglyreceived. In order to retain the panels or Ywalls A' andB in place within the corner device C and in juxtaposition to each other,

the'embraced ends F and G are provided with vertical grooves H while the wings are slitted --to provide ,inturned tongues I engaging within .thev grooves.

In order to compensate for the expansion of the embraced ends F and Gr within the height of the panels A and B due to dampness7 said ends are formed with inwardly extending horizontal slits J whichare of a width to freely receive therethrough the transverse horizontal rivets K in the wings D andQE y of the corner device C.

p While the corner device C may be variously constructed, it preferably includes inner and-outer angle plates 5 and 6, the former having angularly disposed leaves 7 land 8 and the latter having angularly disposed leaves 9 and 10. Each of the leaves 9 and 10 of the outer angle plate 6 are provided with inwardly directedupper and lower ends 11V and 12 formed respectively with a downwardly extending and an upwardly extending terminal 13 and 14. The terminals 13` and 14 are respectively joined by rivets'15 or equivalent securing means to the upper and lower ends of the leaves 7 and 8 of the inner l angle plate 5 and if desired, the lower end 16 of the inner angle plate 5 may extend below the lower end of the outer angle plate to provide a supporting foot for each corner of the box structure.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that in practice. the box may be economically assembled and produced in that the ends of the panels or Walls have only to be introduced into the wings D and E of the corner devices C after which the tongues I are inturned to fit within the grooves H, thus completing the assembly of the side and end Walls in an expeditious and inexpensive manner. Due to the embracing engagement of the corner devices with the ends of the box walls, a rigid and lasting connection is obtained while the slitted ends of the walls will allowv forswellf ing or expansion without distortion or warping of the structure.

While there has been Villustrated and de scribed one form of theA invention, itis to be Vcle-arlyunderstood-that no limitation is neces,- s'arily intended to the precise structural de,- tails but that variations and modifications which properly fallV within the scope of the c appended claims may be resorted to when K desired.

I claim: n

1. A box corner'c'onnecting and bracing device comprising aunitary member having angularlyf disposed hollow communicating wings eachdening an open end of asize to snugly receive and embrace an end of the box wall and into each of whichwings the ends of the adjacent vbox Ywalls. are embracingly received'and interengaging means on each wing and embraced end of the box-wa-ll received thereby for securing the wall within the device, said embraced end having an inwardly extending horizontal slit to allow for expansion within its height and a horizontal rivet traversing the open end of the wing which rivet is freely received by the slit.

2. In a box or crate having side and end walls, a unitary corner piece having right angularly disposed hollow communicating wings each deiining an open end of a size to snugly receive and embrace 'an end of the box wall and into each of which wings the adjacent ends of said walls are received, and a tongue and groove connection between saidV corner piece and said walls for permitting of the forcible insertion ofthe box walls in the `open ends of the corner piece Vwings 'and for preventing relative displacement thereof,

said wall ends being slit-ted inwardly to allow forv vertical expansion within Y `the height Vthereof and wing Vwall connecting means extending .horizontally-across 1the corner piece wings adjacent the open ends thereof and freely received by the slits at the ends ofthe walls. Y f

3. A container including solid wooden side and end walls slitted inwardly from their ends to permit of expansion thereof and uni- 'tary corner elements having open ends vfor embracingly receiving and joining the adjai i ipieces'.: .c

cent slitted ends of said walls having means traverse the open ends of said elements and freely extending through the slits.

4. A corner construction for a box or crate including in combination with wooden side are respectively embracingly received and spring means in the open ends of said corner pieces, engageable with said grooved faces or securing said walls in said corner pieces,

' and permitting of the assembly of the box wallswiththe-cerner pieces by forcible inser- S0 tion of the same in the open ends of the corner 5.- A corner construction for a'box or crate including iii-'combination with wooden side ,and Aenduwalls hhaving I verticallyV grooved S5 faces at the ends tliereof,l hollow angulated unitary corner pieces within the opposite ends of which the adjacent ends of said walls are respectively embracinglyf received and spring meansinthe open ends of said corner pieces, :De nengageable with said grooved faces for 'securing said walls in said corner pieces said means consisting of inwardly directed tongues formed integral with'sa1d cornerk pieces and engaging within the vertically groovedfaces. '9 5 6. AV corner piece 'for joiningbox or'crate walls'togetlier including inner and' outer angle plates havingY angularly disposed leaves, the leavesvof the 'outer angle plate having inwardly directedV upper and'lower :100 lends formed respectively with a downwardly extending and an upwardly extending terminal secured respectively to 'the upper` and lower ends ofthe 'leaves' of the inner plate vto provide a unitary construction .havingT05 hollow communicating angularly disposed wings, each 'having'an'open end for respectively' receiving andV into which *open ends,

the ends of adjacent walls of thebox or crate are introduced for embracing engagement by IO ysaid open wing ends, and rivets extending across the open endsV of the 'wings and through the leaves of the innerand'outer plates, the box walls having expansion slitsM extending inwardly. from the ends thereof 'H5 which are received by the open wingends and which slitsl freely receive said rivets.

7. A box corner vconnecting and' bracing device comprising a unitaryi member havingH angularly disposed hollow connectingY wings 'T20 .each dening an vopen end of a sizeto snugly receive and .embrace an end ofthe box wall and into each of which wingsthe endsof theadjacent box walls: are embracingly re-.\

ceived, resilient locking means on each-wing and coopera-tive keeper means formedon the embraced ends of the box walls for automatically lockingthe walls within the device upon introduction of the wall ends into the wings.: 8. Albox corner connecting and bracing device comprising a unitary member having angularly disposed hollow connecting wings each dening an open end of a size to snugly receive and embrace an end of the box Wall and into each of which Wings the ends of the adjacent box'walls are embracingly received and interengaging means on each wing and the end of the box wall which is received thereby Jfor automatically locking the Wall Within the Wing, said means consisting of a grooved side of the box Wall end and an instruck resilient tongue on the wing adapted to snap into the grooved side upon introduc tion of the box Wall end into the Wing.

JOHN F. MAURER, JR. 

